Celebrating David Bowie is a community driven, charity inspired global concert series keeping David’s music alive with an ever growing cast of Bowie friends, band members, & top touring/recording musicians greatly influenced by him. Created & produced by Angelo “Sc**te” Bundini in Feb 2016.
Celebrating David Bowie (CdB) is an expansion of the Interpreting Music Series that was conceived, created, and produced by Angelo “Sc**te” Bundini (2012-2015). Sc**te organized many top recording & session players to interpret a back catalogue of an innovative artist – Miles Davis, Annie Lennox, Fela Kuti, Burt Bacharach and Talking Heads, among many others. The collective included Sc**te, Ron Dziubla, Joe Sumner, Gaby Moreno, Gary Oldman, Angelo Moore (Fishbone), former Bowie band members Tim Lefebvre and Holly Palmer, and countless other artists & musicians from around the world. The shows intentionally ran long, without interruption, to create an unrelenting tornado of music with little dialogue.
When David passed, many suggested Sc**te create one of these special concerts for him. Celebrating David Bowie was born to meet that intent. This show at the Roxy in Los Angeles sold out quickly (Feb 8, 2016). Seal, Oldman, Moore, Nikka Costa, Ewan McGregor, many of the Interpreting Music collective, as well as special guests performed an emotional 4 hour show. It was meant to be a one time only event. With the help of the Florence Belsky Foundation, 100% of the proceeds went to Max’s Kansas City Kid’s Project. News of the show went viral worldwide.
Eventually, Sc**te & Oldman decided to accept an invitation to perform an encore in San Francisco. Again, 70 performers including many from the Roxy show, Oldman, Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), and all-stars from the Bay Area delivered a heartfelt tour de force 4-hour show. 100% of proceeds from this show went to TJ Martell Foundation who fund innovative cures for leukemia, cancer, and AIDS. Similar fan and press response followed. More and more inquiries came in from all directions.
In response, Sc**te put together an international tour around David’s birthday in London, NYC, LA, Sydney, and Tokyo. The first show in London sold out in 2 hours (5000 capacity).A cold call to the Sydney Opera House led to two epic sold out nights in the round. More charities were called to take part including Children & The Arts (UK). Again, 70 performers for a 4-hour show. Many of the initial performers were joined by incredible guests along the way such as Sting, Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran), Living Colour, Gavin Rossdale (Bush), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Kate Pierson (B-52’s), Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction), Ian Asturby (The Cult), and former Bowie band members from throughout his career – Adrian Belew, Gerry Leonard, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Sterling Campbell, Zachary Alford, Catherine Russell, Holly Palmer, Emm Gryner, Mark Plati, and Carmine Rojas. Mike Garson was selected to emcee. Fans and press were ecstatic about the results. These shows benefitted arts education specifically for kids at David Bowie’s hometown school in Brixton.
2018 saw Celebrating David Bowie play Europe, the US, Canada, Mexico, Iceland with the addition of Todd Rundgren and full orchestra, and South America… 17 countries on 5 continents in less than three years.
Celebrating David Bowie comes back in 2019 with a brand new show and guests.
PERFORMERS
Our 2018 CdB band members & guests included Adrian Belew, Angelo “Sc**te” Bundini, Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Paul Dempsey (Something For Kate), Todd Rundgren, Emm Gryner, Joe Sumner (Fiction Plane), Ron Dziubla, Michael Urbano (Ligabue), Mike Garson, Gerry Leonard, and Carmine Rojas. Special guests were Andrea Frateschi (Sao Paulo), SinfoniaNord orchestra & choirs (Iceland), Rafael (Paris), French To***co (Paris), Mr Hudson (Paris, London), Clare Hurst (London), Christy Dignam from Aslan (Dublin), Pete Holidai from Radiators (Dublin), Cato Van Dyck from My Baby (Amsterdam, Utrecht), Jeroen De Rijk (Amsterdam, Utrecht), Chris Haskett (Utrecht), and Anna Mjoll (Iceland).
Special guests in 2017 have included Sting, Gary Oldman, Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran), Gavin Rossdale (Bush), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Kate Pierson (The B52s), Living Colour, Bernard Fanning, Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction), Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Tom Chaplin (Keane), 2011 Grammy Winner La Roux, Mr Hudson, Former International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield, Emm Gryner (David Bowie), Darren Criss (Glee, Hedwig & The Angry Inch), Paul Dempsey, guitarist Josh Smith, Donovan Leitch, Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), Sarah Blasko, Mark Pender & Richie 'La Bamba' Rosenberg (The Conan O’Brien Show), Chris Cheney (The Living End), Kazuya Yoshii (Yellow Monkey), Ian Astbury (The Cult), Rob Shirakbari, Heath Cullen, The Selah Gospel Choir, The London Community Gospel Choir, The Harlem Gospel Choir, The Soulmatics (Tokyo gospel choir), The Section Quartet, The New Retro Strings, and various local string players in London, NYC, LA, Tokyo & Sydney.
Musicians in the 2017 touring ensemble included Angelo “Sc**te” Bundini, Adrian Belew, Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Bernard Fowler (The Rolling Stones), 2017 Grammy Nominee Gaby Moreno, Joe Sumner (Fiction Plane), Gail Ann Dorsey, Brett Hool, Holly Palmer, Catherine Russell, Jeremy Little, Alex Painter, Gerry Leonard, Zac Rae, Mark Plati, Paul Bushnell, Sterling Campbell, Mike Garson, Earl Slick, Zachary Alford, Blair Sinta, Jordan Katz, Ron Dziubla, David Ralicke, and Eric Gorfain.
Other players joining us for various 2017 shows have included Noel Langley, Phil Todd, Cheme Gastelum, Michael Blutman, Heath Cullen, Lyle Workman, Josh Lopez, Alex Budman, James King, and Davey Chegwidden.
Special guests from shows in 2016 were Seal, Gary Oldman, Angelo “Sc**te” Bundini, Nikka Costa, Ewan McGregor, Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Joe Sumner, David Ryan Harris, Carina Round, Mike Garson, Holly Palmer, Gaby Moreno, Dorian Holley, guitarist Josh Smith, The Section Quartet, and The Oakland Community Gospel Choir.
Other musicians performing with us 2016 were Patrick Warren, Brain, Lyle Workman, Eric Gorfain, Magik*Magik Orchestra, Blair Sinta, Mark Degli Antoni, Paul Bushnell, Jebin Bruni, Paul Jensen, Ron Dziubla, House, Rob Reich, Wil Blades, Celia Chavez, Simon Petty, Alex Painter, Jordan Katz, Michael Urbano, Preacher Boy, Josh Lopez, Jeremy Little, Jamison Smeltz, Brett Hool, Marcus Blake, Jim Greer, Shawn Davis, Libby Lavella, Adam Theis, Rich Armstrong, Karina Denike, Jim Bogios, Mark Growden, Craig McFarland, Meryl Theo Press, Brad Brooks, Marcus Blake, Carletta Sue Kay, Russ Gold, Guy Gershoni, Michaella Goerlitz, Joel Shearer, Gary Novak, Nayanna Holley, Jebin Bruni, Zac Rae, John Gold, Paul Chesne, John Beasley, Scott Bennett, Adam Zimmon, Mahsa Zargaran, Jeremy Little, Matt Rohde, Joshua Lopez, Dave Ralicke, James King, Brett Farkas, Jonathan Clark, Rob Shirakbari, Princess Frank, Kat Dyson, Mike Klooster, Jamila Ford, Dave Schulz, Alex Painter, Abe Rounds, Rachel Eckroth, Chris Bautista, Davey Chegwidden, Marcus Wolf, Emily Zuzik, and Michael Jerome.
